Dano Marano

I would like an explanation from @PeelSchools as to why the Israeli flag is being displayed at their school(s) for Jewish Heritage Month. Imagine if there was a Pakistani or Iranian flag in the display cabinet in the hallway of a middle school during Islamic Heritage Month? I mean, to conflate a faith with nationalism and politics! Now imagine if the flags of these countries or any country with a large majority of Muslims were actively involved in a genocide?! (Or at least one that is being investigated as such). 1. The PDSB has been engaging in very harmful behaviour since Oct 7 - not only by policing, censoring, silencing, and vilifying students speaking out for 🇵🇸, but they have also actively taken part in the erasure of student identity, which goes directly against their stated mandate. 2. Peel region has one of the highest populations of Muslim, Arab, racialized students in NA. If we are to use the logic that was used for shutting down the avenue road protests - “this is a Jewish community and the presence of 🇵🇸 protesters is intimidating”, then we can use the same argument here. These schools are a community largely made up of students that are Muslim or from regions/ethnicities/backgrounds that relate to the Palestinian struggle. They are being intimidated by a flag that is committing a genocide against their people. 3. This is not a religious war, but Israel uses Islamophobic discourse and anti-Muslim racism to justify its ethnic cleansing campaign. My child, as a Muslim, does not feel safe walking in a hallway with the flag of a country that uses Islamophobic tropes and talking points to commit war crimes being displayed proudly. This school is an unsafe space for him to be in. There is a string of incidences and complaints at this school about a Zionist teacher harassing and bullying students that is being “investigated” since Oct and I have yet to hear the outcome of. 🙄 If I don’t hear a response from the board today, I will be sharing every incident and the name of the school and teacher(s) involved publicly. Enough with the red tape and bureaucracy.